Fluid dispenser



July "13 1926. 1,592,233

` A. E. SUTHERLAND FLUID DISPENSER Filed Feb. 27, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. E. SUTHERLAND FLUID DISPENSER Filed Feb- 27. 1922 3 Sheets-Shea?I 5 zz m w Patented July 13, E26.

UNIT r as ALBERT EDWARD SUTHERLAND, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB F @NE- TENTH T0 THOMAS E. HUNTER, 0F VLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FLUID DISPENSER.

Application filed February 27, 1922. Serial No. ,414.

This invention relates to a vending machine and particularly to a machine for vending iuids, such as gasoline, or the like, and it is an object of the invention to provide a machine into which various coins may be placed to allow the machine to be operated to deliver various amounts of fluid.

Motorists often experience considerable difficulty and inconvenience in obtaining supplies, and particularly gasoline and oil, at night and on holidays, etc., as it is necessary for them to find a garage or service station which is open. Further, in many localities, there are very few garages or service stations, as there is not suiiicient demand to warrant their operation. In such localities motorists often have to travel great distances to reach a place where they can purchase the necessary supplies. It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine which does not require an attendant and which can be leasily and conveniently operated by a purchaser, upon his putting a coin into it, to deliver a quantity of Huid corresponding to the value of the coin. The'machine may be made to be operated by several different coins 'so that the operator can obtain various amounts of liuid and so that he can obtain fluid with any one of several coins such as he is apt to have withhim.

The various objects and features of the invention will be best and more fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical embodiment of the inven tion, throughout which reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical detail sectional view of the machine showing the general arrangement and construction; Fig. 2 is a transverse detail sectional view taken as indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan section taken as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan section taken as indicated by Aline 4-4 on Fig. 1; Fig. 5 isan enlarged detail sectional view taken as indicated by line 5-5 on Fig. 4, showing the mechanism unactuated; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5. showing the mechanism actuated to one of its final positions; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view as indicated by line 7 7 on Fig. 3; and Fig. 8 is a plan elevation of the machine.

Throughout the drawings, numeral 10 designates, generally', a pump mechanism,

numeral 11 a frame structure, numeral 12 a lock bar carried by the frame 11 so that itl can be positioned to engage a part of the pump mechanism to prevent operation of the pum mechanism; and numerals 13, 14 and 15 esignate stop bars which, when released, operate to limit the amount that the pump mechanism can be operated. As far as the present invention is concerned, various forms or types of pump mechanisms might be employed in connection with the mechanism above described, so, therefore, l

have illustrated only a portion of a typical pump mechanism such as is usually employed to handle gasoline, or the like. The pump mechanism which l have illustrated has a c linder 17 aY piston rod 18, which extends ownwardly into the cylinder to opcrate a piston within the cylinder, and has a discharge pipe 19 in communication with the upper part of the cylinder. In the particular form ofpmechanism which I am disclosing as a preferred embodiment of my invention, the pump is adapted to be operated from a hand crank 20, through a countershaft 22, a pinion 21, mounted on the countershaft 22, and a rack 23 which is attached to the piston rod 18 of the pump. The crank 2O is mounted on a shaft 24 which is operatively connected with the shaft 22 through gears 25 and 26. The pinion 21 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 22 and is adapted to be driven from the shaft by a lug 27 mounted on the shaft 22 engaging a lug 28 which extends from one side of the pinion. This construction allows a certain amount of lost motion between the crank 2O and the pinion 21, so that it is necessary to move the crank 20 from its normal position through a portion of a revolution before the pinion is operated. The normal position of the crank is the position to which it is moved by gravity when the entire mechanism is in its unactuated condition. The rack 23 has a body part 29 on the front of which is a series of teeth 30 and in the rear face of which there are grooves 31,32 and 33. There is a vertical guide 34 in the frame structure 11, which slidably carries the rack 23 so that its teeth 3() mesh with the pinion 2l. With the arrangement just described rotation of the crank 20 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5 will cause rotation of the pinion 21 to move the rack 23 upwardly. As the rack 23 is moved upwardly gasoline 'ill is discharged from the cylinder 17 of the pump through the discharge pipe 19.

In accordance with the present invention the lock bar 12 is slidably carried in the frame structure so that it is movable to a position where it extends over an upwardly facing shoulder 38 on the body of the rack when the rack is in its down or unactuated position, as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. A spring 39 is arranged in connection with the lock bar 12, to normally press it toward the rack, as indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 5, so that the bar will press against the rear face 40 of the rack when the rack is out of its normal position, and will immediately, move it to position over the shoulder 38 upon the rack being moved to its normal position. lVhen bar 12 is over shoulder 38, the rack is positively held from upward movement with respect to frame 11. In Fig. 6 of the drawings I illustrate the bar in position where it is being pressed against the rear face 40 of the rack by the spring 39 and in Fig. 5 of the drawings I illustrate the bar in position over the shoulder 38 so as to positively prevent upward movement of the rack.

In accordance with the present invention means is provided for drawing the lock bar 12 back so as to allow upward movement of the rack 23 upon a coin being placed in the machine and the crank being operated until a certain amount of the lost motion between the crank and the pinion has been taken up. The preferred form of mechanism which I have illustrated in the drawings comprises a chute 42 which extends from the outside of the frame structure 11 to a coin carrier 43 within the frame structure. The chute 42 is proportioned and arranged so that a coin within a certain size can be placed in it at the outside of the frame structure, and so that it will deliver the coin to the coin carrier 43. The coin carrier 43 may comprise two spaced parallel fingers 46, having grooves in their adjacent faces to carry the edges of a coin. The tin ers 46 may be formed on a sleeve 47 whic is mounted on a shaft 48. The carrier 43 is designed and proportioned so that it will receive and hold a coin which lits the slot 42 with reasonable accuracy, but will not hold a coin which is appreciably smaller than the slot 42. Further, the carrier 43 is such as to receive and hold the proper sized coin when it is in a substantially upright position, as it is when in position to receive a coin from the slot 49., but is such as to discharge any coin that may be in it upon it being moved to an inverted position, such as is shown in Fig. 6. The shaft 48 on which the .carrier is mounted is connected with the shaft 24 by a chain drive mechanism 49 so that the shaft 48 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow B in Fig. 5 upon rotation of the crank in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. Mounted in the frame structure 11 on a shaft 50 there is a finger 51 which is normally positioned to be engaged and moved in the direction indicated by the arrow C in Fig. 5 by a coin held in the lcarrier 43 when the carrier is moved from its normal position in the direction indicated by the arrow B inl Fig. 5. The hub 52 from which the finger 51 extends is formed with a lug 53 which engages a pin 54 extending from the shaft 5() so that the shaft is rotated when the arm is swung in the direction indicated by the arrow C. Arms 55 are fixed on the shat't 50 in position to engage and move the arms 58 of levers 56 when the shaft 50 is rotated in the manner just described. The levers 56 engage a rod 57 on the bar 12 to move the bar in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 5 when the arms 58 are engaged and moved by the arms 55 in the manner hereinabove described. The various parts are arranged and proportioned so that the lock bar 12 is retracted, or moved in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow A, sufficient to completely remove it from` the shoulder 38 of the rack during rotation of the crank to take up the lost motion above referred to. By the time the crank has been rotated sufficiently to completely take up the lost lnotion the bar .12 has been retracted so that the rack Q3 can be moved upwardly upon further movement of the crank. Further movement of the crank such as causes upward movement of the rack, and therefore operation of the pump mechanism, moves the coin carrier 43 around so that the coin carried in it passes out of engagement with the finger 51 and to a position where the coin drops out of it into a suitable coin receiver 60IL arranged in the frame structure. As soon as the coin passes out of engagement with the arms 51, the spring 39 moves the bar l2 in the direction indicated by the arrow A until it engages the rear surface 40 of the rack, as illustratedin Fig. 6. In practice it is preferred that the parts be designed so that the coin moves out of engagement with the linger 5l immediately after the rack starts to move upwardly so that the bar 1;). is released to move to position over the shoulder 38 immediately upon the rack being returned to its normal down position.

In accordance with the present invention the machine is provided with a plurality of coin slots of different sizes. is provided with a plurality of coin carriers which will receive and hold coins of different sizes from the slots, and is provided with means'in connection with each of the carriers whereby a coin carried in it will operate to actuate a mechanism which will stop further operation of the pump mechanism upon its reaching a predetermmed position. In the drawmeaaae ings I have illustrated three coin slots 42, each adapted to receive a coin of a diderent size. There are three coin carriers, the coin carrier 43 which I have described, and two additional coin carriers andl. Each of the coin carriersis, of course, arranged to receive a coin from a coin slot and is designed to receive and hold only a coin which is substantially the size of the coin slot in connection with which it is arranged. In addition to the finger 51 there are lingers 62 and 63 mounted on the shaft 50 so that they are operated by coins carried in the coin carriers 60 and 61 respectively. The fingers 51, 62 and 63 are all mounted on the shaft 50 in the same manner and each one is adapted to drive the shaft through a lug and pin, as hereinabove described in the case of the finger 51. With this manner of mounting the linger on the shaft 50 any one of them can be operated to rotate the shaft without disturbing or causing operation of the others. A lug 64 extends from the hub 52 of each of the fingers. The lugs 64 are connected withv hooks 66 by connecting rods 65. Each hook 66 cooperates with a lug 67 extending from one of the stop bars; the hook in connection with finger 62 cooperating with a lug on bar 13; the hook 66 in connection with the arm 51 cooperating with a lug on bar 14, and the hook 66 in connection with the arm 63 cooperating with a lug on the bar 15. Vhen the fingers 51, 62 and 63 are in their normal positions, as illustr'ated in Fig. 5 and when the stop bars 13, 14 and 15 are retracted the hooks 66 engage the ends of the lugs 67 to positively hold the bars retracted. When one of the arms is moved by a coin, as hereinabove described, the hook 66 connected with it is moved out of engagement with the end of the lug 67, allowing the particular stop bar which it was holding to be released. Suitable springs 7 0 are arranged in connection with the stop bars 13 and 14 and 15 so that they will move in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5 as soon as they are released. When any one of the bars 13, 14 or 15 is released, it is moved forward by a spring 70 so that it presses against the rear face 40 of the rack member. In the. particular arrangement which I have set forth in the drawings, the bars 13, 14 and 15 are located at different points across the back of the rack member and notched blocks 71 are carried in the back of the rack member, one to cooperate with each of the stop bars 13, 14 and 15. The notched blocks 71 are arranged in the grooves 31, 32 and 33 in the body of the rack and are arranged at different points vertically on the rack. It is desirable to arrange spacers 72 above and below the blocks 71 so that the blocks 71 can be varied or adjusted as to vertical position in the rack member. When one of the bars 13, 14 or 15 has been released so that it bears against `the face 40 of the*7 rack member, the pump can only be operated until the rack 23 reaches a vertical position wherethat bar enters the notch in the block 71which is arranged to cooperate with it. 'Ihe notched blocks 71 are arranged at different heights so that each of the stop bars 13, 14 and 15 operates to stop operation of the pump mechanism at a different point. The relation between these points may obviously be the same as the relation between the values of the several coins which will be handled by the mechanism hereinabove described. `With the mechanism thus far'described a coin inserted in one of the slots 42 will enter one of the coin carriers so that operation of the crank will cause retraction of the lock bar 12, and therefore release of the pump mechanism, and will cause release of one of the stop bars; the stop bar that is released being the one which is connected with the coin carrier which is carrying the coin. When the pump has been operated until the released stop bar positively prevents it from being operated further, it can be returned to its normal position by rotating the crank in the direction opposite to that in which it was rotated to actuate the pump. As soon as the rack 23 reaches its normal position the bar 12 will immediately move into position where it positively locks the pump mechanism against operation. bar 12 moves to position over the shoulder 38 a pin 80 projecting from the bar l2 engages and moves an arm 81. The arm 81 extends from a shaft 83. 'Three arms 84 extend from the shaft 83 to engage pins 85 extending from the stop-bars 13, 14 and 15 so that any stop bar that is in the released position, as shown in Fig. 6, is moved to its retracted position, as shown in Fig. 5,

when the bar 12 moves into position over the shoulder 38. Upon one of the stop bars being moved to its retracted position the hook 66, arranged in connectionwith it, engagesvthe lug extending from it to hold it in the retracted position. A spring 58a is arranged in connection with each of the hooks 66 so that it tends at all times to move the hook to the position where it engages the end of the lug 67 to hold the stop bar in the retracted position. In practice when one of the hooks 66 is moved to the position where it engages the end of the lug 67, as shown in Fig. 5, the finger from which it is op erated is moved to its normal, or unactuated position, through the connecting rod 65.

For the purpose of preventing a person from putting a coin into the machine and then operating the crank backward and forward to pump a greater amount of gasoline than he should receive upon placing that particular coin in the machine, I provide a double pawl 86 to cooperate with the teeth of the `When the Y rack so that the rack can be moved only upwardly until it has been positively stopped by one of the stop bars after which it can be moved only downwardly until the lock bar 12 moves into position to lock the rack. The pawl 86 has an upwardly facing jaw 87 and a downwardly facing jaw 88 and is carried on a pivot pin 89 so that it can be positioned so that either of the jaws engages the teeth of the rack. A spring 90 is arranged in connection with the pawl so that it will yieldingly hold it in either of the positions just named upon its being moved over center by the means hereinafter described. lVhen the jaw 87 is in cooperative engagement with the teeth of the rack it allows the rack to be moved upwardly and positively prevents it from being moved downwardly, and when the jaw 88 is in cooperative engagement with the teeth of the rack it allows the rack to be moved downwardly but positively prevents it from being moved upwardly. In the particular form of the invention disclosed in the drawings the pawl is adapted to be operated to the position shown in Fig. 6 by any one of the stop bars entering a notched block and is adapted to be operated to the position shown in Fig. 5 by a cam 100 on the rack 23. The cam 100 is positioned on the rack 23 so that it engages a pin 101 extending from the pawl to throw the pawl over center from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig, 5 upon the rack reaching its normal down position. The stop bars are formed with slots 91 which carry a rod 92.'- A rod 93 is carried by the jaw 87 of the pawl and is connected with the rod 92 by arms 94. The arms 94 connect the rod 92 with the pawl 86 so that movement of the rod causes movement of the pawl. The slots 91 are arranged and proportioned so that they do not interfere with the operation of the cam but so that the pawl is moved from the position shown in Fig. 5, to the osition shown in Fig. 6 upon any one of t e stop bars moving into a notched block. With this arrangement and construction the pawl 86 is automatically moved to the operative position shown in Fig. 5 upon the mechanism being moved to its normal unactuated position and is automatically moved to the operative position shown in Fig. 6 upon the mechanism reaching the end of its movement as limited by any one ot the stop bars.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that the present invention can be carried out in various manners other than the one just described, and that it can be embodied in machines for dispensing various fiuids, say, for instance gasoline, oil, etc. It will be obvious that a machine embodying the resent invention can be constructed to han le numerous different coins and can be set or regulated so that any one coin being placed in it will allow the operator to pump an amount of liquid corresponding to the value of the coin. The spacers 72 in connection with the notched block 71 allow the positions of the notched blocks 71 to be varied from time to time as the price of the liquid varies. It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a machine which can be easily and conveniently operated by a person putting a coin into it and that it is particularly convenient as it can be operated without an attendant being present and can be operated with various coins such as a perJ son will ordinarily have in his possession.

Having described only a preferred form of my invention I do not wish to limit myself to the particular details hereinabove set forth but wish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, a movable vending element, means for locking said element against operation, a plurality of independent means releasable to stop operation of said element at different points, and coin controlled means adapted to be operated by any one of a plurality of coins of different physical characteristics to release said locking means, and adapted to release the stop means selectively when actuated by the different coins.

2. In a machine of the character described, a movable vending element, means for locking the element against operation in its unactuated position, means releasable to stop operation of said element at a predetermined point, and coin controlled means for releasing said looking means and said stop means to allow operation of said element to a predetermined point, said locking means operating to automatically lock said element upon it being moved to its unactuated position.

3. In a machine of the character described, a movable vending element, means for locking the element against operation in its unactuated position, means releasable to stop operation of said element at a predetermined point.` coin controlled means for releasing said locking means and said stop means to allow operation of said element to a predetermined point, said locking means operating to automatically lock said element upon it being moved to its unactuated position, and means for returning the stop means to its unreleased position upon the lock means operating to lock the element.

4. In combination a pump mechanism having, a movable rack, an operating mechanism for the rack, said mechanism having some lost motion in it, a plurality of notched aeeaasa blocks carried by the rack at diderent points longitudinally of the rack, a lock bar which will move to lock the rack only in its unactuated position, a spring in connection with the lock bar tending to move it to a position where it. locks the rack against operation, a plurality of stop bars, one arranged to cooperate With each of the blocks to stop operation of tbe-rack, springs in connection with each stop bar tending to move it to enter the notch in its block, a plurality of coin slots each adapted to receive a dierent coin, a

plurality of coin carriers each arranged m connection with one of the slots to receive a coin therefrom and to hold it until moved a considerable amount from the position in which it receives the coin, a shaft, a plurality of fingers carried on the shaft so that any one of them can be actuated to move the shaft without` moving the others, each of said fingers being arranged in connection with a coin carrier' to be actuated by a coin carried in the carrier upon said carrier being moved, a connection between the operating mechanism and the coin carrier whereby the coin carriers are moved during the time the lost mot-ion is being taken up, releasable means in connection with each stop bar for normally holding it in position so that it will not cooperate with its block, independent connections between the lingers and said means whereby each linger is connected with one of the means to release it upon being actuated, a connection between said shaft and the lock bar whereby the lock bar` is moved to release the rack when the shaft is rotated, a connection between the lock bar and the stop bars whereby any released stop baris returned to a position where it is held by the holdin means eooperating with it upon the lock ar moving to position to lock the rack, a pawl having two jaws and adapted to have either one or the other of the jaws in cooperative engagement with the rack at all times, one of the jaws being such as to. revent movement of the rack in one direction and the other being such as to stop movement of the rack in the other direction, and operating means for the pawl whereby it is actuated to prevent movement of the rack toward its unactuated position while it is being moved away from lts unactuated position and until it is stopped by one of the stop bars and vto prevent movement of, the rack away from its unactuated'position while it is being moved toward its 4unactuated position and until it reaches its unactnated position.

5. ln a device of the character described, a movable vending element having a facial notch, means 'for locking said element against operation in' its nnaetuated position, a spring actuated stop bar, means for normally holding the bar retracted in non-stop position, said bar being releasable to engage the notch in the movable element andl thereby stop operation of said element Aat a predetermined point, coin controlled means for releasing said locking means and said stop means to allow operation of said element to said predetermined point, the reverse movement of said vending element being ada ted to cause retraction of said stop bar rom said notch.; and said locking means operat ing to lock said element upon it being moved to unactuated osition and to further retract said stop ar whereby said bar is positioned to be operatively acted upon by said holding means.

6. In a device of the character described, a movable vending element, a spring actuated stop'bar, means for normally holding said bar retracted in non-stop position, said bar being releasable to stop operation of saidv element at a predetermined point, and coin controlled means for releasing the holding means and returning the bar from released to retracted position.

7. lin a machine of the character described, a movable vending element, means for locking the element against operation in its unactuated position, spring actuated stop means, means for normally holding said stop means in non-stop position, said stop means being releasable to stop operation of said element at a predetermined point, coin controlled means for releasing said locking means and said holding means to allow operation or" said element to said predetermined point only, means for limiting the movement of the element in the opposite direction and for preventing the reciprocation of said elementwhen it is between the limits of its stroke.

8. ln a device. of the character described, a movable vending element, means for locking the element against operation, spring actuated stopV means, means for normally holding Said stop means in non-stop position, said stop means being movable `to stop operation of said element at a predetermined point, coin-controlled means for moving said locking means and releasing said holding means to allow operation of said element to said predetermined point only, means adapted to coact with said element in a manner to limit the movement of the element in the opposite direction and for preventing the reciprocation of said element when it is between the limits of its stroke, said last named means including a pawl having a lost motion connection with said stop means, and being adapted to operatively engage the teeth of said rack.

9. In a device of the character described, a movable vending element, means for locking""tlieelement' against operation, a stop bar, means adapted normally to hold the stop bar in nonstop position, saidbar being movable to stop operation of said element at lid a predetermined point, coin controlled means for releasing said locking means and said holding means to allow operation of said element to said predetermlned point only, means for limiting the movement of the element in the opposite direction and for preventing the rediprocation of said element when it is between the limits of its stroke, said last mentioned means including a pawl having elements adapted to alternately engage the vending element, and means for causing such alternate engagement and including a rod connecting said pawl and said bar for moving the awl in one direction at one end of the vending element stroke, and cooperative cam means on the vending element and pawl adapted to move the pawl in the opposite direction at the other end of the vending elements stroke.

10. In combination with a pump mechanism having a movable rack, an operating mechanism for the rack, the rack having a pluralit of notches longitudinally spaced apart,alock bar movable to lock the rack only in its unactuated osition, a plurality of stop bars, each bar eing arranged to cooperate with an individual rack notch to stop operation of the rack, means tending to move each sto bar into its respective notch,

a. plurality o coin carriers, each adapted to receive a coin and to hold it until moved through a predetermined path, a shaft, a plurality of fingers carried on the shaft, each finger being movable to actuate the shaft without moving the other fingers, each of said fingers being arranged in connection with an individual coin carrier whereby actuation of a given finger is caused by engagement therewith of a coin as it is moved by the associated carrier, an operating connection between the rack operating mechanism and the coin carriers whereby the carriers are moved, releasable means 1n connection with each stop bar for normally holding it out of engagement with its associated rack notch, means connecting each finger with the releasable holding means of the associated stop bar whereby each bar is released upon actuation of its associated finger, a connection between said shaft and the lock bar wherebv the lock bar is moved to release the rack when the shaft is rotated, and a connection between the lock bar and the stop bars whereby any released stop bar is returned to a position to be. acted upon by its cooperating holding means when the lock bar moves into rack locking position.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4 day of Feb. 1922.

ALBERT .nWARD SUTHERLAND. 

